Food Processing Development Centre

Agriculture is fundamental to Alberta. Linked directly to primary agriculture are Alberta's food processing, food service and beverage industries.

The food and beverage industry is Alberta's largest secondary manufacturing industry, generating in excess of $10.0 billion in value of shipments. Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, through the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund, opened the Food Processing Development Centre at Leduc in 1984. It serves to encourage the growth and expansion of this vital industry in highly competitive domestic and global markets. $5.5 million expansion to the facility was completed in 2002.

The Food Processing Development Centre is a modern, fully equipped pilot plant and product development laboratory facility. It is staffed with experienced food scientists, engineers and technologists. Centre services are designed to strengthen and expand the capability of Alberta's food processors to meet the challenges of the marketplace through application of new technology and the development of new or improved products and processes.

The Food Processing Development Centre is one unit in the Food and Bio Processing Division of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. Each of our five units is uniquely situated to provide development and research facilities for agri-food processing companies, or those interested in non-food uses for agricultural products.